SC1: Colbert Busch Cranks Up Fundraising Efforts

Now that she knows her opponent is Elizabeth Colbert Busch is wasting little time in raising money for her five-week battle with former Gov. Mark Sanford in the SC1 race.

Whatever Sanford’s shortcomings, Colbert Busch and her team still have a formidable task ahead of it.

Sanford has a built-in network of support and a team that is experienced at tapping into it.

Since SC1 is strongly Republican—it’s been in GOP hands since the early 1980s and went for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama by 18 percentage points— the bulk of Colbert Busch’s efforts will be geared toward driving turnout, which is one of  the most expensive aspect of a political campaign.

At a media session on Tuesday, Rep. James Clyburn (D-6) said raising money would be the “easiest part” of the Colbert Busch bid.

Her campaign and its allies have scheduled fundraisers in the next two weeks to help make sure it has the money it needs.

It has scheduled events in Washington, DC and New York City on April 15 and 23 respectively featuring her famous brother Stephen. The list of guest is a virtual who’s who in Democratic politics.

Clyburn will be joined by DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) at the D.C. event.

Next week in Columbia, there will be a fundraiser at a private residence where Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and former SC Gov. Jim Hodges are expected to attend.

Colbert Busch is also receiving support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a PAC from New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called Off the Sidelines, and a Columbia-based PAC called South Forward. Those PACs operate independently of the Colbert Busch campaign.

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